Water-current-power transmitter



(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 1.

M. V.'B. ETHRIDG-E. WATER CURRENT POWER TRANSMITTER.

No. 382,959. 'Patented May 15,1888.

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(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2. M. V. B. ETHRIDGE.

WATER CURRENT POWER TRANSMITTER. No. 382,959.

Patented Mey 15, 18,88.

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MARTIN'V. B. ETHRIDGE, OF BOSTON, ASSIG-NOR OF ONEHALF TO HENRY E. VAITE, OF WEST NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

WATER-CURRENT-POWER TRANSMITTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 382,959, dated May l5, 1888.

Application tiled Novenlbcrll, 1887. Serial No. 254,924. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Beitknown that I, MARTINV. B. ETHRIDGE, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suiifolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in W'ater-CurrentPower Transmitters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othro ers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improvement in mechanism for transmitting power from the current of the water iiowing in a river or I5 other stream, for the purpose ot' actuating an air-pump or other device, and it consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination'of parts, substantially as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

2o In the annexed drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure l is a side elevation ot' an abutment and of my improved water-current power located in connection therewith. Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the air-pump, its operating-crank, anda portion ofthe air-pi pe. Fig. 4 is a similar side elevation at right angies to that in Fig. 3, the oscillation of the pump-cylinder being shown in dotted lines.

3o Fig. 5 is an outline View of the swiveled portions of the pump, the left one being affixed to the pipe shown in Fig. 3 and the other to the pump.

Similar letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures.

A designates a float. This is constructed in any desirable manner to suit the purposes for which it is to be used, and it preferably has an extension, A', which is hung loosely upon a 4o horizontal pipe, B, serving as ashaftsuspended over the stream in suitable bearings or supports, O C, fixed on stone abutments on the shore or other proper sustaining devices. In the drawings I have shown a series of four of 4 5 these floats, all hung upon the same shaft, B. The number of them, of course, is immaterial and forms no part of my invention, which residesin the construction and arrangement of a single one, to which my description herein 5o will in the main be conned.

It will be obvious at a glance that the floats will rise and fall with the change of the waterlevel consequent on various causes.

Journaied in suitable bearings on the oat in such a manner as to be rotated by the current ofthe stream is a water-wheel of suitable construction, the ordinary form with radial vaues or arms a a arranged upon a shaft, b, being adopted for representation in the drawings as an example ofmy invention. The shaft 6c of the water-wheel carries a pulley, b', from which by a belt, D, motion will be communicated to a pulley, E, on shaft or pipe B, said pulley E being rigid to a gear, F, likewise on pipe B. Thus it is obvious that the belt D will drive the gear F at all times whatever may be the water-level, for the float will rise and fall without disturbing the driving mechanisln. Gear F meshes with a gear, G, vertically above it, the shaft of which isjournaled 7o in standards, as shown, and is a crank-axle consisting of a series of cranks, c c c, vfor driv ing a mechanism attached thereto.

In Figs. 3 anda I have represented one form of this attached mechanism, consisting of an air-compressing pump. H represents the cylinder, having an inlet-valve, d, for the admission of air. Vithin the cylinder is a piston operated by a piston-rod, I, which emerges from a central opening in the upper head of 8c 'the cylinder, and is connected to and driven by the crank-axle. Below the cylinder I-I is a short pipe, e, having a valve and connecting the cylinder with a horizontal cylinder, J, arranged on shaftf to swivel with a similar cylinder, K, rigidly fixed upon and communieating with pipe B. The two opposing faces of cylinders J and K are provided with ports, as shown in outline in Fig. 5, which communicate. As the crank-axle revolves, the piston 9o and its rod reciprocate and oscillate also, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. L.tand likewise the cylinder II and cylinder J oscillate. The parts are so arranged and the valve between cylinders J and K is so adjusted that on the downstroke ofthe piston air will be compressed and driven through K into pipe B; but as soon as the piston begins its upstroke the oscillation consequent thereon will move cylinder J sufficiently to close the entrance to K, and thus Ico prevent exhaustion of the air therein.

Havingthus described my inventionJ what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The herein described water currentpower transmitter, consisting in the combination of a swinging float, a stationary air-pipe on which one end of the float is hung, a waterwheel carried by the float, suitable gears on the airpipe, au air-compressing mechanism connected to said gears, and a drivingbelt between the Water-wheel and the gears for actuating the latter to drive the said mechanism and compress air into the air-pipe, substantially as described.

2. The combination ofthe swinging float A, the stationary support B, on which one end of the Iioat is hung. the gear F on the support B and carrying pulley E, the water-wheel on the iioat having pulley b', and the belt-connection D between pulleys b and E, all arranged to operate any desired mechanism, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a swinging lioat, a water-wheel thereon, au ai r-pipe, B, on which the float is hung, said pipe resting on supp orts on the shore, a crank-axle, c, actuated by connection with the water-wheel, the swiveling cylinders J K, carried on pipeB and communicating therewith, air-compressing cylinder H,com1nunicating with said cylinders J K, and the pitman I, connected to crank-axle c, for operating a piston in cylinder H, all substantially as described.

4. The combination of a swinging float, a water-wheel thereon, an air-pipe, B, on which the float is hung, said pipe resting on supports on the shore, the gear F on pipe B, rigid to pulley E, likewise on said pipe, the gear G, meshing with gear F, crank-axle c, carrying the gear G and suitably journaled, the belt D, whereby the water-wheel actuates the pulley E and other mechanism, the swiveling cylinders JK, carried on pipe B and communicating therewith, air-compressing cylinder H, communicating with cylinders J K, and the pitman I, connected to the CrankaXle c and a piston within cylinder H, all arranged to operate substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MARTIN V. B. E'IHRIDGE.

' Vitncsses:

Crus. HALL ADAMS, STEPHEN W. TROWBRIDGE. 

